Everything You Need For A Newborn // Master Shopping List
Baby will be here in just TEN weeks, so I decided to sit down and figure out exactly what I need for a newborn. I’m a wannabe minimalist who lives in a small space, so I narrowed my list down to all the items I find absolutely necessary, based on a whole lot of research and recommendations. Hope it helps!
Please note I do make a small commission any time you shop through one of my links. It doesn’t cost you anything, but makes a world of a difference to me. Happy shopping and good luck, Mama!
* Now that I’ve made it through the newborn phase, I decided to update the list based on my own experience. Happy to say there were very few items I regret purchasing, but you can go through and read my reviews below in the “Items I Regret Buying” section I added at the end of each category.
Nursing
Nursing Bras - Larken or Bravado or Kindred Bravely
*I’ve tried them all. Nothing beats Larken in my book. So comfortable and good for nursing, pumping, or even just lounging.Nursing Pads - Lansinoh or Medela
*Not necessary if you have no leakage. Both have amazing reviews, but in forums, more moms swear by Lansinoh.Nipple Cream - Earth Mama
Nursing Pillow - My Brest Friend or Boppy
*Not necessary, but most people love having one. My Brest Friend is much more supportive than the Boppy pillow, but I found it bulky, so go with your preference here.Milk Catcher - Haakaa
*Not necessary, but many breastfeeding moms find it useful since it catches any milk that leaks from one side while your baby is latched to the other. Cuts down the need to pump.Breast Pump - Elvie or Spectra S1
*Elvie is hands free, but Spectra is covered by insurance. If getting the Spectra, make sure to get the S1 pump as it's portable and rechargeable.Night Light/Sound Machine - Hatch
*Love how it serves as both a night light and sound machine and you can create presets with your favorite combinations of colors, sounds, and volume. I’d say a sound machine is an absolute necessity and the night light is a plus since you’ll need something for middle of the night diaper changes.Night Light - Amazon Find
*Not necessary if you buy the Hatch, but I absolutely LOVE this night light. It has tap touch technology and gives off the perfect soft light for diaper changes. You can adjust the brightness and change the color as well.Nursing Cover - Copper Pearl
*Not necessary since a blanket works just as well, but love how this one doubles as a carseat cover.
Potential Additional Items: Nipple Shields, Breast Pump Inserts
Items I Regret Buying:
- Nursing pads and the haakaa since it turns out I don’t leak whatsoever.
- A nursing pillow since I’ve been comfortable feeding baby with just a regular pillow under my arm, but most people I speak with love their nursing pillows.
Bottle Feeding
Bottles - Philips Avent and/or Comotomo
*Philips Avent are anti-colic with an air free vent, which helps prevent gas. Comotomo also help prevent gas and their nipples are similar to the real thing, making it easier to transition from breast to bottle. The Comotomo are also extremely easy to clean and can be turned into sippy cups later on.Drop In Milk Bottles - Playtex Baby
*Not necessary, but great for nursing moms. Store pumped milk in the storage bags, drop a bag into the bottle, and go.Baby Bottle Dish Soap - Dapple Baby
*Not necessary. I got this one based on the internet’s recommendation, but I say save your money and just buy regular free and clear Palmolive.Bottle Drying Rack - OXO
*Not necessary, but I LOVE it. This is the best space saving option I’ve seen as well.Burp Cloths - Muslin Cloths
*Love these. I bought two packs.Gas and Colic Reliever - Frida Baby Windi
*Not necessary even though SO many people told me to buy these. A baby rectal thermometer does the trick.Formula - Earth's Best
*Not necessary to buy, but good to have a backup plan. Even if you only plan to breastfeed, it’s important to have a backup option if it doesn’t work out. This one is organic and doesn't contain corn syrup like others do.
Potential Additional Items: Different Sized Nipples, Assortment of Bottles
Items I Regret Buying:- Dapple Baby dish soap because it’s just not worth the price. I linked an alternative above.
- Frida Baby Windi because as mentioned, a rectal thermometer achieves the exact same results.
Diapering
Wipes - Water Wipes
*Recommended for newborns. We still use them at 5 months since Nate got a rash when we tried a different brand.Extra Thin Washcloths - Gerber
*This is one item I didn’t know I needed, but these little washcloths are a must have for baby boys. Just throw one over your baby’s diaper area when changing to avoid getting peed on. They are great for bathing as well.Wipe Dispenser - OXO
*Not necessary, but it looks nice and is convenient for changing.Diaper Cream - A&D Ointment or Aquaphor Baby or Tubby Todd Ointment
*A&D and Aquaphor are good for prevention, so you can use either with every change. Desitin Maximum Strength or Tubby Todd is best for when baby has actual diaper rash. I prefer Tubby Todd for sure.Baby Lotion - Tubby Todd or Aveeno Baby
*Not necessary, just nice to have.All Over Ointment - Tubby Todd Ointment
*This stuff is so good. Works like magic on dry skin, diaper rash, and cradle crap. It’s apparently good for eczema as well.Diaper Cream Applicator - Baby Bum Brush
*Not necessary, but it makes applying diaper rash cream a lot easier and mess free. I can attest to that!Changing Pad - Skip Hop or Keekaroo
*Both can be wiped down, so it’s a super easy cleanup and doesn’t create extra laundry.Diaper Pail - Ubbi
*Not necessary, but nice to have. Works with any bag.Hand Sanitizer - Purell
*Not necessary, but helpful to have on the changing table.
Sleeping
Bassinet - Skip Hop or Halo or Snoo
*Full transparency, I was gifted the Skip Hop bassinet; otherwise, I may never have discovered it. I love how the side comes down so I can see Nate while I’m lying down and easily stick my hand in to fix his pacifier when it falls out. If I were to choose again, I probably would have gone with the Snoo. It’s quadruple the price, but I have no doubt in my mind that baby Nate would have slept better. Halo is another very popular option.Bassinet Sheets - Amazon Find
*One sheet is included with the Skip Hop bassinet.Waterproof Bassinet Mattress Cover - Amazon Find
*Not necessary. Our Skip Hop bassinet came with a waterproof mattress, so check if you need first.White Noise Machine - Hatch AND Rohm
*The Hatch is incredible because it has so many settings and gets really loud. The Rohm is small, but mighty, so great for travel since it's rechargeable. I definitely recommend getting both.Zipper/Velcro Swaddles - Love to Dream or Halo or Happiest Baby
*The Love to Dream swaddle was great for the first month since Nate slept better with his arms up, but at 6 weeks, he needed something different, so we switched to The Happiest Baby swaddles and they have been amazing. I wish we had tried Halo. I’ve heard great reviews.Swaddles - Aden + Anais or Copper Pearl
*Not necessary. We tried conventional swaddling for the first couple weeks, but once you try a zipper or velcro swaddle, you’ll never go back. I love having regular swaddles around though since I like wrapping Nate in a light layer while he’s in his swing or when he’s playing on his mat and his socks fall off, but we were gifted enough that we definitely did not need to buy.Zippered Footies - Kyte Baby or Amazon Find
Light Pajamas - Solly Baby
*If you live in an apartment like we do where you can’t control your heat in the winter, you are definitely going to want some light pajama options and I am OBSESSED with Solly Baby sleepers. They are SO soft, make diaper changes easy, and light enough that your baby won’t overheat with a swaddle on top.Pacifiers - Bibs or Frigg or Mam
*It’s no secret that the Bibs and Frigg pacifiers are the cutest ones on the market (and what we use), but not without issues as they have had to recall some of their products. Mam is another option that is both cute and safe.Pacifier Clip - Mushie
*Not necessary, but I definitely recommend. I like to have one clipped onto the carseat/stroller at all times.
Items I Regret Buying:
- Some of the swaddles we got (none listed above), but that’s because there was no way to know which Nate would like best, so we wound up with a bunch we’ll never use.
Bathing/Grooming
Bathtub - Frida Baby or Angelcare or Puj Tub (up to 6 months) or Stokke (up to 48 months)
*I have the Angelcare, which I love, and it made bath time so easy, but once Nate turned 5 months, he only wanted to sit up, so I love the concept of the Frida Baby which has a newborn insert that turns into a seated tub.Shampoo/Body Wash - Tubby Todd or Aveeno Baby or Johnson’s
Bath Rinser - Skip Hop
*Not necessary, but very helpful. Great for rinsing soap out of hair since it’s curved in a way that when you pour, the water doesn’t get in baby’s eyes.Washcloths - Gerber or Aden + Anais or The Honest Company
*Huge fan of the super thin Gerber ones.Hooded Bath Towels - Elephant Option or Plain White Ones
*Not necessary as any towel works, but baby towels with ears are my weakness.Brush - Molylove
Nail Clippers - Baby Frida
Electric Nail File - Little Martin’s Drawer
*Not necessary. Great if you’re too scared to use the clipper, but really not essential.
Potential Additional Items: Frida Baby brush set if baby has cradle cap (IT WORKS!)
Items I Regret Buying:
- The electric nail file. I used it once and it worked great, but I find regular baby clippers much easier and way more convenient, although I do still love it for toenails.
Clothing
White Short Sleeve Bodysuits - Gerber
Baby Clothes
*Even though I’ve passed the newborn phase, I’m still not exactly sure how many outfits are necessary since I decided to just use whatever was gifted to us. That said, here’s what I really used during my baby’s first three months of life: a pack of 8 white onesies, about 5 additional colored or patterned onesies, 3 zippered/velcro swaddles, 2 pairs of pants, 1 zippered pajama footie, about 10 cute footie outfits and their coordinating hats. Nate did fit in newborn sizing for at least the first month, but with the exception of two gifted looks, everything we dressed him in was 0-3 months. Please note we don’t have a washing machine in our apartment, otherwise we probably would have needed even less.Hats/Scratch Mittens - Amazon Find
*Not necessary. A bunch of outfits we received came with hats, so it’s really not necessary to buy separately. As for mittens, I cut my baby’s nails all the time, so we didn’t have a need for them at all.Socks - Amazon Find or Nike
*Not necessary if you only get outfits with feet.Baby Detergent - Dreft or Honest or Free & Clear
*We use Free & Clear.Baby Hangers - Amazon Find
*Not necessary, but I like having them for jackets and overalls.Stain Remover - Miss Mouth’s Messy Eater Non-Toxic Baby Stain Remover
*Trust me, you need this. It really works! P.s. If you shop through this link, 10% off with automatically be applied at checkout.
Health & Safety
Thermometer - Frida Baby
Electric Nasal Aspirator - The NozeBot by Dr. Noze Best
*Full transparency, I was gifted this item, but now that I’ve been using it for the past five months, I can say with full certainty that it is worth every penny. Baby Nate has a lot of congestion and this gets it all out within seconds. The manual one works great too, but trust me, the last thing you want to be doing at 2am (or ever) is sucking snot out with your mouth. I’m still happy I have the manual one though for shabbat (sabbath), as well as traveling.Nasal Aspirator - Frida Baby
*Not necessary if you get the electric one.Pain Relief - Baby Tylenol
*Important to have it before you need it.Baby Monitor - Vava or Infant Optics or Motorola or VTech
*Motorola and VTech are the only ones I’ve seen with wifi capabilities AND a separate screen. I bought both to test. VTech was VERY clear, but unfortunately, disconnected a few times during the night, so I sent it back. Motorola wasn’t as clear, but never disconnected. Both had very short (about 3 hours) battery life. We ended up settling on the Vava, which does not have wifi, but has amazing battery life and has never disconnected. We have security cameras that we can check on our phones, which is why we were okay giving up the wifi option. Infant Optics is another very popular option.Potential Additional Items: Humidifier, especially if you’re having a winter baby and your room gets dry or just to use since it helps baby from getting sick
Toys & Activities
Swing - Fisher Price
*Bulky, but apparently every baby loves this one.Baby Bouncer - Baby Bjorn
*Not necessary, especially if you live in a small space, but parents love this bouncer. I opted not to get one since I’m in an apartment, but I’ve found myself wishing I had something portable like this to throw Nate in sometimes.Lounger - Snuggle Me Organic
*If I were to make a top 5 newborn essentials list, this would be at the top. For the first month of his life, Nate refused to sleep in anything else. Please do your own research in regards to safe sleep.Lounger Cover - Snuggle Me Organic
Teddy Bear - Jellycat or Steiff
*Not necessary, but I love the Jellycat one. So soft and I use it for Nate’s milestone pictures.Rattle - Amazon Find or Skip Hop
Books - Target
Baby Gym - Lovevery or Amazon Find or Wooden Option
*We got the wooden option and Nate LOVED it. It’s adorable and got tons of use, but we had to retire it around 4 months when he started rolling out of the sides and pulling on the ropes.Teether - Sophie la Girafe or Mushie
*Sophie is pretty much a staple in every home at this point - cute and a baby favorite.
Potential Additional Items: Crib Mobile, Large Play Mat, Pack ‘n Play , Doll
Travel Gear
Carseat Stroller - Doona
*My favorite purchase ever. It’s a newborn carseat on wheels that you can simply strap into the car with a seatbelt, no base needed.Infant Carseat - Nuna Pipa
*If you don’t get the Doona and need a regular newborn carseat.Stroller - Nuna Mixx Next or UppaBaby Vista or Cybex Gazelle 2
(please note that each, excluding the Nuna Mixx Next, requires a newborn insert/bassinet)
*The Vista is a very popular option because it’s a smooth ride, has a large basket underneath, comes with a bassinet attachment, and can convert to a double stroller. The Cybex Gazelle 2 offers all that, but is even better, in my opinion. The bassinet attachment can be attached to the top spot of the stroller (unlike with the Vista), the basket underneath is unobstructed, and it has a one pull harness, which makes it so easy to buckle in your baby. The Gazelle also comes with a rain cover, cup holder, and adaptors for a second seat.We ultimately chose the Nuna Mixx Next as our everyday one because it has a true “lie flat” option, is a smooth ride, and has great storage underneath. It also works from newborn, but the buckles seem a bit bulky for such a small baby, so I didn’t really use it much until 6 months. Overall, very happy with it!
Travel Stroller - BabyZen YoYo or Bugaboo Butterfly
The YoYo or Butterfly are great travel options! We traveled with the Doona until Nate grew out of it, but once that happens, we needed a smaller stroller to get us through the airport. The YoYo fits in all overhead storage, the Butterfly fits in most. The YoYo is a two handed fold, the Butterfly is one handed. We went with the YoYo because it is a bit smaller and once I learned that you can do the two handed folding step while your baby is still in the stroller, I really became a fan.Travel Changing Pad - Storq
Diaper Bag - Petunia or leather option
*Not necessary to buy an actual diaper bag since technically any bag works, but it is definitely nice having one with thought out pockets and a built in changing pad.Stroller Hooks - OXO (for shopping bags) and Petunia (for diaper bag)
*Not necessary, but very useful, especially with the Doona which doesn’t have any storage.Stroller Blanket - Etsy or Amazon find or SwaddleBee
Pacifier Holder - Mushie
*Not necessary, just cute. I LOVE mine. Keeps the pacifier from getting dusty.Stroller Toy - Skip Hop
Baby Wrap - Solly Baby or Moby
*Not necessary, but very helpful if you want your hands free. Start EARLY so your baby gets used to it.Carrier - MiaMily or Ergo Baby
*Not necessary, but very helpful. I’m obsessed with my MiaMily carrier because it converts into a seat hip for your toddler. Baby Bjorn is another very popular option, but apparently some babies have gotten hip dysplasia using it.Car Mirror - Amazon Find
Travel Crib - Baby Bjorn or Graco
*The Baby Bjorn one is pricey, but so worth it in my opinion. You literally just pop it open and the mattress is much more comfortable than others. All travel crib mattresses are super thin, but the Baby Bjorn has the thickest of the bunch.Blackout Tent - SlumberPod
*If you plan on traveling, this is an incredible option for keeping your baby’s sleep environment consistent and dark wherever you are. And if your baby is anything like mine, blackout shades really are a necessity. Obsessed with this item! It’s also incredible because it lets you share a room with your baby, while still letting you move around freely.
Potential Additional Items: Stroller Cup Holder, Bunting Bag (7AM), Stroller Muffs (7AM), Stroller Bug Shield
Nursery
Crib - Babyletto or Delta or Serena & Lily
*I still dream of the Serena & Lily crib, but we opted for a more affordable option and got the Babyletto. Very happy with it.Crib Mattress - Newton Baby
*The only completely washable mattress. It’s also breathable which gives me total peace of mind and makes the mattress worth every penny, in my opinion. We got the standard original option.Crib Sheets - Amazon Find or Newton Baby (breathable option)
Waterproof Crib Mattress Protectors - Amazon Find or Newton Baby
*The Newton waterproof pad can actually make any mattress breathable. Probably best to buy two so you always have one to use while the other is in the wash.Dresser Pulls - Etsy Wood Option or Etsy Leather Option
*I got the wood option, medium size, shade wax oil wood. So cute!Drawer Organizers - Amazon Find
Changing Station Organizer - The Container Store
Laundry Basket - Target or Amazon Find or Serena & Lily
Glider - Babyletto or Pottery Barn or Crate & Barrel
Caddy for Breastfeeding Supplies - World Market or Amazon
*Not necessary, just convenient. I ended up using a small basket.Bamboo Shades - Pottery Barn
No Drill Blackout Shades - Amazon
*Obsessed with these! They do let in a sliver of light on the sides, but if you want a no drill option, these are incredible.Curtain Rods - Amazon Find
Floating Bookshelves - Amazon Find
Daybed - World Market or Wayfair
Twin Mattress - Tuft & Needle
Sheet Set - Amazon Find
Comforter - Amazon Find
Pillows - Amazon Find
Throw Pillows - Anthropologie or Amazon
Wall Decals - Etsy
Rug - Loloi
Artwork - Etsy
